Outdoor stadium wall padding has been a fixture since the 1970's, protecting athletes at all levels from dangerous impacts with solid wood and/or concrete walls. The wall padding is typically constructed of three materials, a ¾ inch plywood backer board, a 3 inch polyurethane foam padding adhered to the board, and a laminated or coated UV resistant vinyl cover. This construction provides an appropriate level of safety and durability while addressing the aesthetics required by both college and professional teams. In use, the outdoor wall padding is disposed with the bottom of the wall padding spaced typically about 4 inched from the ground.
In connection with outdoor wall padding, U.S. Pat. No. 8,082,696 issued to Oliver et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 8,424,249 issued to Oliver, disclose temperature compensating outdoor wall padding apparatus, which in one embodiment includes a rigid backing, padded material, and incorporates a stretch fabric into the edges of a vinyl cover to provide a tension on the vinyl cover minimizing the possibility of wrinkling of the vinyl cover due to a change in temperature. In another embodiment, the temperature compensating outdoor wall padding apparatus employs a rigid backing, padded material, and a resilient cover. The resilient cover is stretchable in 4 directions and pre-tensioned to provide tension on the resilient cover minimizing the possibility of wrinkling of the resilient cover due to a change in temperature. Z-shaped clips are attached to and extend horizontally across rear side of the backing and cooperate with corresponding horizontally disposed Z-shaped clips attached to a fence or wall of a stadium for supporting the temperature compensating outdoor wall padding apparatus.
In connection with pit landing systems, U.S. Pat. No. 7,753,826 issued to Oliver et al. discloses a pit landing system for high jumps and pole vaults. The pit landing system includes integrated drainage positionable on a surface of a ground and includes an upper padding section and a lower support section. The lower support section includes a lower water permeable support operable to allow water to permeate through its structure while supporting the padding layer above the surface of the ground. The upper padding section includes a cover and the lower support section comprises a porous cover. For satisfying the National High School Federation (NFHS), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) specifications and/or requirements, for example, the overall size of a high jump pit pad landing system may be about 16½ feet wide, about 8 feet deep, and about 26 inches high, or about 20 feet wide, about 13 feet deep, and about 28 inches high. For satisfying the National High School Federation (NFHS), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) specifications and/or requirements, for example, the overall size of a pole vault pit pad landing system may be about 21½ feet wide, about 27 feet deep, and about 32 inches high.
There is a need for further outdoor wall padding, and more particularly to outdoor wall padding apparatus having integrated drainage and methods for forming and using the same.